CHEDDAR to BRIDGWATER: - 29 MILES
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CHEDDAR to BRIDGWATER: - 29 MILES Somerset Levels, Polden Hills and Villages Leaving the cross in a southerly direction by Church Street, you will come to a church on your right. Continue for a few yards and then go over Cheddar Bridge (take care on this very dangerous bend). Once over the bridge, turn left on to a lane which, after a short distance dwindles into a footpath. At the top, enter a field and go up, keeping close to the right hand boundary, until you come to a stile on the right. Go over and continue in the same direction with the boundary on the left on reaching a gate go into the next field bearing slightly left to a lane. Turn right go up the lane a short distance then bear left at Bradley Cross Farm. Take track on the right of the house (you will now follow the West Mendip Way for approx one mile) continue up this track. Go through a gate and past a house on your right. At this point look back at Cheddar and its lake. This is a well defined bridle track. After a while it will take a left hand bend and continue up hill. After approx half a mile of climbing mainly through oak and hawthorn you come to a farm on your right but continue roughly in the same direction. Once at the very top go through a gate into a field you leave the main track here and head over this field heading slightly right to a gate. Once through the gate turn right for approx 100 yards then turn left up a track between hawthorn bushes. This is Draycott Sleights Nature Reserve carry on following a line of beech on the right. You eventually come to a lane cross over the stile opposite, bear right for a few yards the path then swings left, continue with the boundary on the right. At the corner cut over the field to a stile into Rodney Stoke Nature Reserve. You then descend down a well defined track (extremely slippery when wet) and come out into a field. Head towards a house bearing slightly right. Go over a stile at the right of the house in the corner then continue down a small track to a lane, turn right to Rodney Stoke at the main road turn left. Take great care; this is an extremely busy road, which seems short of footpaths. Carry on another half mile through the village, up the hill until you reach a signpost to Priddy. Take this small road on the left where there is some relief from the traffic, Perhaps one day there will be a top ridge path, which avoids the main road. Go along the road for a short distance, then round a right hand bend. Continue up for approximately 300 yards, then just past a gate on the right go over a stile, head up the field to where it forms a small neck, and over another stile. Continue in a fairly straight line, going over a series of fields and stiles. On your right the scenery is more open. Glastonbury Tor can be seen in the distance. The small fields and meadows along here are delightful, and some very pleasant views surround them. Eventually, you will go over your last stile on this bearing - nearly all of them are made of fine Mendip stone - and you can see the village of Westbury-sub-Mendip. The path swings right; go down to the bottom of the field, where there is a stile which leads on to a lane. Turn left, then at the bottom of the lane turn right. Here you can see the Village Cross and the Church behind it. Accommodation should be available in the village. You are now on that busy road again, but thankfully not for long. Turn left; the Westbury Inn is on the left and soon after that on the right is Station Road. Go down here. Continue over a bridge and a disused railway line, then turn left through some farm buildings. A few hundred yards further on turn left again at a junction. After another hundred yards, ignore the turning on the left and carry on until the lane runs out. You will come to some gates. Take the one straight ahead. Follow the track around to the right and take a gate further on. Keeping fairly close to the right hand boundary, cross the next field over to a footbridge in the corner. Once over the footbridge, go through a gap on your right, turn left and walk down by the hedge. Go over another footbridge and continue down the next field with the rhyne on your left. At the end of this field, pass through a gate near the corner, turn right and follow the rhyne down on your right for approximately 150 yards until you are close to a line of willow trees on the right. Then take a diagonal path off to the left across the field to another, larger, footbridge. Once over, you will find yourself on a road. Turn left and continue, passing a farm on the right, until you come to a bridge on the left. Don't cross it - bear right, go up here approximately 50 yards and then, on a bend, go over stile on the right. Walk up this field. Continue in roughly the same direction. Drop down the hill, where you will see a stile near the left-hand corner of the field. Go over stile into a track between two hedges and continue on down, and eventually take a right hand turn. Go on along here for a short distance, arriving at a lane. Turn left and walk straight to the main road; this is the village of Henton. The Inn at Henton is now closed. Turn left on the main road (take care). A short way down this road enter a field on the right. Walk to the top of the hill, heading for the far left-hand corner of the field. Go over a stile, then straight ahead for a short distance and cross the stile in the corner. Walk in the same direction, keeping the hedge on your left, go through a gate and come out on to a major track, and then turn right. A little way down you will come to a stile on your left prior to a sharp right hand turn go over this and make your way to the bottom of the field, keeping reasonably close to the left-hand boundary where you cross a lane over a pair of stiles. Continue up 2 fields keeping fairly close to the rhyne on your left. Then go over a stile near a stone bridge and come out on to a road. Turn right. At the next junction bear left for Godney. A short way down here, go over a footbridge on the left, crossing the rhyne into the field. Turn immediately right, go through a gate and continue along the field keeping close to the rhyne, which is on your right. Carrying on up here, go through two more gates, and eventually pass under some power lines. A little further on there is a footbridge on the right. Cross over, and then bear left, keeping close to the hedge on your left. At the end of the field go through a gate and on to the road. Do not turn left - go straight ahead. You are now coming to the village of Godney. Turn left over the bridge, which is signposted to Glastonbury, pass Godney House on the left and continue along the road to Godney Farm. There are not many connecting rights of way over the levels, so it's going to be a bit of a trudge along the droves. However, there is an abundance of wildlife, sedges and willows, so make the most of it. At Godney Farm the road bears left. As you carry straight on, the various plant life according to the season is worth noting. In early summer it is lined with yellow iris, patches of marsh marigold, and later purple loosestrife. You will go through an avenue of pollarded willows. Continuing down, you will come to a bridge and a left-hand turn, which are approximately one and a half miles from Godney Farm. This is called Great Withy Drove. Go up here, then further on pass a stone bridge on the left. The road winds, and gives relief from the long straight stretches. Take the first turning on the right. At the bottom of this Drove, take a left-hand turn, go up the road a few yards and then turn right. After a short while, bear to your right and go under a road. Immediately after this, go up some steps on the right, then a few yards left, take a path on your right and continue. You will pass playing fields on your left. At the end of the playing fields the track heads off to the left. This will take you up into the town. At the top of the track go through a housing estate, then turn right down a short road to the main road. At this point turn left. At the end of this road is the Cross, in the heart of Glastonbury. There is plenty to see here, accommodation and refreshments. Or carry on to Street Hostel. If so, don't forget to stock up with food, breakfast and evening meal, etc., as at the time of writing Street is a self- catering hostel (check on this when booking).